1. Q method in social surveys Gathering the EUROMEC Strand 3 data
Jean Monnet Network European Identity, Culture, Exchanges and Multilingualism (EUROMEC)
Research strand 3: Identities in urban contexts: the European multilingual city
Q method in social surveys Gathering the EUROMEC Strand 3 data
Radosveta Drakeva
Sofia University “St. Kilment Ohridski”
Third International Summer School for Doctoral Students and Early Career Researchers & International Conference, July 2017, Trinity College Dublin

2. Q method: Q is both a methodology and a technique to collect data:
A methodology: systematic study of human subjectivity (people’s viewpoints on specific topics)
Both quanitative and qualitative
Researching the range and diversity of subjective understandings, beliefs, and experiences
Particularly suitable for identifying commonality and diversity
Powerful capacity for thematic identification and analysis

3. Q method: A specific technique to collect and sort data
Based on statements
For respondents that are involved in the thematic and can express their subjective view (no representative samples)
Arranged in matrix: to what extend the respondent agrees/ does not agree with a statement, compared with the rest of the statements
Forcing to arrange rather to evaluate (“I agree with A more than I agree with B”)

4. Set of statements to study the viewpoints on the topic
Q: based on statements
Set of statements to study the viewpoints on the topic 
From focus – groups, interviews
From official documents
From media
Phase 1 – all the statements elaborated, usually 300+
Phase 2 – Q set, limited to 48/64/80 statements (other numbers also possible)

5. Q vs “to what extend do you agree with….”-- - + ++
Program is… X
Topics are…
Premises are…
Transport is….
Focus: the respondent
Focus: the statement

6. Q matrix

7. Q in EUROMEC:
Survey: Identities in urban contexts: the European multilingual city
The Multilingual City survey aimed to understand and explain the contemporary challenges to European identity, especially in Europe’s cities
Three cities: Dublin, Krakow, Sofia
A set of 64 statements to collect and sort data
56 statements, common for the three cities
8 statements, specific for each of the cities 
Selection of the statements:
Focus groups, media, documents
Validated in focus groups
Data gathered by on-line platform separately for Dublin, Krakow and Sofia

8. The Multilingual City: statements (1)
The idea of a monolingual city is out of date. G2
A multilingual city is one that delivers its services in the various languages of its citizens. G3
A wide choice of languages, both European and non-European, should be offered in schools in Dublin. G4
African and Asian languages, when spoken as mother tongues, generally have lower status in Dublin than European languages. G5
All schools must ensure that the languages of minorities are represented in the school's environment in some way. G6
Anyone can easily pick up enough of a foreign language for basic communication. G7
Children should start learning foreign languages from the earliest possible age, from Junior Infants onwards. G8
Educational institutions here should support and promote minority languages. G9
Educational institutions should protect the linguistic purity of our two languages, Irish and English.
G10
It's good to have English as a lingua franca, it facilitates international communication.
G11
English is a priority for all young people in European society.
G12
English is now a necessity: it is no longer just an advantage as a second language, but it is a must.
G13
English should be the first choice as a foreign language in Europe.
G14
English spells the doom of other languages.
G15
Everyone should be entitled to first language education - the language of where they come from - in the public school system here in Dublin.
G16
Having many languages in a city makes it difficult for some citizens to access social services.
G17
I don't need to speak any foreign languages in life.
G18
I feel uncomfortable when I hear people speaking languages that I don't understand in the street or on public transport.

9. The Multilingual City: statements (2)
I get worried about the number of different languages that are spoken here as it makes it difficult to have integrated communities.
G20
If immigrants don't learn the national language they will be isolated from society.
G21
The children of immigrants should speak English at home to make progress in learning the language.
G22
It is good practice for a city to provide multilingual information centres for residents and visitors.
G23
It is important that teenagers from migrant backgrounds preserve their language skills and are not ashamed of their heritage.
G24
It is not the responsibility of the local council to provide free foreign newspapers in public libraries.
G25
It is possible for Dublin to become too multilingual.
G26
It should be the duty of the city authorities to provide information on public services like health and education in the most common European languages.
G27
It would be good to provide free introductory classes to Asian, African or Middle Eastern languages so people in Dublin could have the opportunity to learn very different languages.
G28
Knowing foreign languages opens us up to new ways of thinking.
G29
Learning two languages simultaneously has a negative impact on the child.
G30
Migrant languages and lesser-spoken languages are not really seen as an asset in Dublin.
G31
More help from the government is necessary for minorities who seriously struggle with English here.
G32
Most migrants here have no interest in learning English because they don't want to integrate.
G33
Non-English-speaking workers are seen as intruders in Dublin.
G34
People are treated strangely here when they can't articulate themselves in English.
G35
People who come here should learn English - it's a necessity to survive in Dublin.
G36
Officials who deal with the general public really should be able to speak some Irish as well as English.

10. The Multilingual City: statements (3)
People who don't speak English should lose their entitlement to state benefits.
G38
Public services, documents and so forth, should only be provided in our official languages.
G39
School children here should only speak English during their break time.
G40
Street signs should be provided in other languages as well as English and Irish.
G41
Teachers should tell the children of migrants to stop speaking their own language at home, as it has a negative impact on children's ability to learn English.
G42
The Irish language is a kind of 'sacred tradition' and should be protected at all costs.
G43
The fact that there are many languages spoken in Dublin represents a real challenge for those who work in its administrative offices.
G44
The multilingual environment here turns our city into an attractive destination for investment.
G45
The multiple languages in the EU are a source of richness, a bridge for greater solidarity and mutual understanding.
G46
The extensive use of English, especially in the media and advertisements, shows disrespect for Irish.
G47
There is no point in English speakers learning another language.
G48
There should always be multiple language options in ticket vending machines for public transport and other self-service machines.
G49
There should be subtitles on television for all foreign language programmes.
G50
For a more inclusive society, it is worth translating official documents into multiple languages, despite the costs involved.
G51
Allowing the use of different languages in classrooms to teach different subjects (e.g. multilingual teaching) would be an obstacle to learning English properly.
G52
We should learn languages when we are young. It is too difficult later.
G53
When foreigners speak on the mobile phone in their language, they always seem to shout.
G54
When we lose our Irish, we lose part of our identity, our culture and origins.
G55
When you maintain your mother tongue, it helps with your self-esteem.
G56
Young people need to learn other languages, not just English, if they want to be competitive in the job market.

12. How to prepare and analyse a Q survey?

13. 1. Evaluating the topic of the survey from a Q – perspective:
Do we expect the respondents rather to range than to evaluate?
Are we more interested in the patterns in statements than in patterns for respondents?
R Method
Q Method
Goal
Find patterns in how respondents answered different questions
Find patterns in where Q statements appear in different Q sorts
Example
Do people who value environment more also drive less?
Are beliefs about dolphins’ emotional intelligence linked to beliefs about cognitive ability?
(Factor Analysis)
Normal
Inverted
Webler, T., Danielson, S., & Tuler, S. (2009). Using Q method to reveal social perspectives in environmental research. Greenfield MA: Social and Environmental Research Institute. Downloaded from:

14. Short, stand alone statements, easy to understand and reflect on
2. Creating Q – statements:
Derive from the concourse (a set of all the things that people are saying about an issue)
Focus groups, discussions, interviews
Official documents
Media …
Meaningful to the people doing the Q sorts
Short, stand alone statements, easy to understand and reflect on
Some “excess meaning” is acceptable and even desirable: Q statements could be interpreted in slightly different ways by different people (Brown 1970)
Q statements must be something that people are likely to have an opinion about
Balanced (expected positive/negative), but all worded positively
Linked to pre-defined perspectives/models or not
Number of statements: divisible by 16 (16 – – 64 – 80)

15. Less than the number of statements
3. The participants:
Should represent the broad population of the target group
Number of participants
Expected 4 to 6 participants to identify each discourse (30 total is approximate starting point)
Less than the number of statements
Usual ratio between statements and participants is 3:1, the maximum 2:1
4. Socio-demographic data (for additional analysis, if needed):
Define information that might be needed for additional analysis

16. Q - sort
Q – method originally developed by William Stephenson ( )
Q-sort being done manually, with the support of the researcher to give instructions and identify the stages

17. Q-sort in EUROMEC Multilingual City:
On-line platform:

18. Q-sort online: step 1 General agreement/ disagreement
The respondent is asked
to divide the statements
in three categories – “generally agree”,
“neutral” and
“generally disagree”

20. Q-sort online: step 2 Sorting The respondent is asked
to do the Q-sort,
starting with the “extreme” options

23. After positioning all the statements, the respondent can re-position some of them if needed

24. Q-sort online: step 3 Comments The respondent is asked
to comment more on the statements, classified as
“strongly disagree” - positions (-4 /-5)
and “strongly disagree” - positions (+4 /+5)

25. The respondent can also give general comments on the survey

26. Data analysis
The survey was conducted amongst young people in three cities – Dublin, Krakow and Sofia, in the period May – July 2016
Data is processed separately for each of the three cities
Using PQ method (
PQMethod: a statistical program to analyse Q-sort data
Originally - FORTRAN program, developed in 1992 for mainframe platforms

27. TRY IT. Q-sort in EUROMEC Identities and Democracy
TRY IT! Q-sort in EUROMEC Identities and Democracy. Frameworks of identity constructions in Europe:
On-line platform: